Snakes and Wolves
by RecountOurVices
Summary: Sakumo Hatake isn't a prodigy like his son. But he is smart, even more so than most. So it’s impossible for him not to see the way Kakashi looks at Orochimaru. Rewritting chapter 3.
1. chapter 1

Kakashi Hatake was a genius. Bright beyond his age, with a mind that could rival any adult's wit and a tongue so sharp he could crack the most twisted of jokes. Despite him being five years old, Sakumo realized he didn't resemble one in the slightest. The way he seemed to raise his chin over the sky itself, or how his yet to be scarred hands grabbed kunais and shurikens as if he were holding a stick of dango. He had yet to attend the Academy, but it was obvious his abilities were superior to any graduated gēnin.

A genius indeed.

But if there was one thing he couldn't master— or even fully understand, if truth be told— and it was the ability to talk to people and establish certain relationships with them. While it was a good thing for any ANBU applicant (especially Danzō's Root division), a kid needed to be around people as interact with them. But Kakashi had always thought of it as stupid and pointless, because he already had his father and two friends (who had actually forced their friendships on him for some unknown reason, according to Kakashi), why would he have the need to have more than that? People were noisy and liked to pry on private matters. They didn't know when to shut up and some of them were downright insufferable— like Obito Uchiha.

So when Sakumo noticed the way he acted around Orochimaru, alarms went off in his head. Because, for someone like his son, who was not a people person as already established, his behavior was so unbecoming of him Sakumo had been rendered speechless the first time he had actually witnessed it. Considering how often former Team 7 stopped by the compound, he had felt like the worst father in all the elemental nations for not having noticed before.

The Legendary Sannin and Konoha's White Fang hadn't always been friends. As a matter of fact, Sakumo and Jiraiya had been rivals right until the chūnnin exams (mostly because Jiraiya was a complete idiot, and Sakumo had little to no patience for a self-proclaimed hero who couldn't even master the Būnshin no Jutsu). Tsunade, while short-tempered and aggressive, had grown to be a very good friend of his. She even healed his team member in the middle of the chūnnin exams because the Hatake boy had been at the right moment and place to defend her from Amegakure shinobis. She was the group's mother, and even after all those years, her naivety was still endearing.

And Orochimaru... well. At times, Sakumo had the feeling their relationship was more logical and practical than anything else. Orochimaru had never let him into his twisted little world when they were younger, and he hadn't asked to be part of it either. He knew the orphan had a suffocating darkness in his heart, a thing Jiraiya and Tsunade had tried to battle most of their lives, but if they hadn't been successful after so many years, Sakumo knew it was best to leave some things just... be.

But, he had never been in his (quite extensive) black list, he was cordial and always indulged in the most interesting of conversations when invited to have a cup of tea and some dango (or in Orochimaru's case, hard-boiled eggs) at the Hatake residence. After Kakashi had been born, Orochimaru visited more often— willingly— because as much as he seemed to despise children, being so close to a new life had been simply too alluring to look the other way. Jiraiya voiced his concerns one day when Sakumo's wife Kariire had dragged both Tsunade and Orochimaru to buy something for dinner, leaving the two light haired men and a tiny baby for them to look after.

"I just don't want him to be here for... the wrong reasons," Jiraiya mumbled, his finger gently poking Kakashi's rosy cheek in what could be called an affectionate gesture. "I know he'd never hurt Kakashi intentionally— he's way too overprotective of your cub— but that's exactly what scares me the most."

Sakumo looked at his son sleep peacefully on top of a pillow two times his size and hummed softly. He knew Orochimaru had... cared for Nawaki not only because he was Tsunade's little brother, but because he had potential for greatness. He'd had this feeling that it was exactly that potential that Orochimaru had wanted for himself— and it showed, because he sometimes had looked at Nawaki in a way that seemed to scream «He is mine». And while he didn't have that particular expression on his face whenever he was around Kakashi, Sakumo knew Jiraiya's growing concern weren't exactly misplaced either.

But then Kariire passed away, and Sakumo's doubts had vanished because he needed someone to care for little Kakashi as much as he did. Despite their past differences, he knew Orochimaru was the only one who could fulfill that role.

It had all started one day when Sarutobi-sensei's disciples stopped by to play some shōgi. After the loss of his Kariire, the man had needed some company the golden-hearted Toad Sannin had been more than happy to offer, immediately tagging Tsunade and Orochimaru along. Raising Kakashi was sometimes a handful— and Orochimaru could testify to that, seeing that Kakashi was his protégée— especially since the kid thought he was old enough to be independent and do whatever he wanted. And in moments like those, he had never been more grateful to see Jiraiya's ugly (Tsunade's opinion, not his) face.

"Welcome," he greeted, allowing them to step into his home. Each of them brought snacks and even a discreet bottle of sake hidden in Tsunade's pocket. After exchanging pleasantries and making themselves at home, the shōgi board already in place with all the pieces. When asked about Kakashi, the older Hatake explained he was in his room reading about D-rank jutsus as part of his training with Orochimaru. The first round was played by the Snake Sannin and Sakumo.

"Kids his age should be outside playing, not reading that sorta stuff," Jiraiya grumbled while taking a bite of his onigiri, cheek resting on his propped hand. Tsunade nudged him.

"Better learn about useful stuff than gawk at women in their underwear, you pervert," she said while glaring at him, not having forgotten about the incident a month ago that had resulted in Jiraiya having his legs and arms broken rather thoroughly. The male Sannin only grinned shameslessly and shrugged his shoulders.

"Thirst for knowledge is only human," Orochimaru stated, looking at the board before making his move. Sakumo cursed softly under his breath and he smirked. "It is a good thing a child with a gift like his works hard to polish his abilities. I shudder to think what your offspring would be like with your... ah, intelligence and laziness, Jiraiya." Tsunade snorted at that.

"Shaddup, _hebi_!" The white-haired man managed through a mouthful of rice, looking at Sakumo as if expecting him to say something. Tsunade slapped him upside the head for his manners— or, lack there of.

Sakumo just blinked. Orochimaru's smirk widened.

" _Why, you bas—_ "

"Tou-san." Four heads turned to look at the little boy standing by the shōji door, looking rather annoyed at the noise. Turning to look at Jiraiya, he sighed. "Oh, it's _you_."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Sakumo had to laugh at that, one eyebrow perfectly arched in amusement.

Kakashi: 1. Jiraiya: 0.

"Tsunade-hime," he continued, inclining his head in acknowledgment but freezing when a now slightly tipsy Tsunade pulled him in for a hug. Kakashi shifted a bit, the bridge of his nose turning pink.

"I told you already, Kakashi-kun," she admonished softly, running a hand through his hair. "Stop being so formal, you're just a child."

"But—"

She gave him a pointed look. He stifled a whine and offered a sigh instead.

"Fine." After Tsunade released him, Kakashi rubbed his nose and turned to look at Orochimaru almost shyly, his flush creeping all the way to his ears ever so slightly. "Orochimaru-sensei."

Sakumo couldn't believe his eyes. When was the last time Kakashi had acted so... bashful? Had he always been like this in the presence of the Sannin? His blood ran cold at the sight. Orochimaru didn't seem to think too much about it, however. Sakumo had the feeling Orochimaru had assumed it was only childish innocence (that, and the fact he was the only one who treated him like a grownup), but Sakumo's gut told him otherwise. Perhaps he always acted like that around him? Not that it made sense, because Kakashi _never_ acted like that. He knew better.

 _Parents always did._

"Evening, hatchling," The raven-haired man greeted, raising one hand to ruffle Kakashi's hair like he had always done in the past, but now the jōnin on the other side of the shōgi table tensed at the sight. Kakashi's blush intensified and it was like he was fighting the urge to lean into the cool touch, hands clasped behind his back. "I trust your reading is being interesting."

"Hai," he said and nodded once, finally taking a step back to keep some distance between the older man and himself— did he realized the way Sakumo was looking at him? Or was he just trying to act normal? Perhaps it _was_ childish admiration. "I already know the _Kawarimi no Jutsu_ , and the _Shūnsin no Jutsu_ seems interesting enough for me to try." Orochimaru looked pleased, and nodded.

"Off you go, then. I expect you to show me on our next training session." Kakashi nodded once more and left the room, missing the grimace on Sakumo's usually friendly face.

"What's wrong, huh?" Jiraiya asked, completely oblivious to the exchange and Sakumo turned to look at him, trying to come up with a good excuse.

"I'm losing," he stated simply and rubbed the back of his head in frustration, "and Chi-kun here wasn't even paying attention."

Orochimaru frowned at the nickname, glaring at his teammates when they laughed. Sakumo managed to crack a smile despite his inner turmoil. His opponent quickly moved another piece forward and Hatake's smile dropped.

He had lost.

 _Damn_.

While he switched places with Tsunade, Sakumo finally plowed his mind to drift, absently drinking his sake.

What was the meaning behind Kakashi's behavior? Why Orochimaru? What the hell was going on?

This was a case for someone more reliable than the ANBU black ops, he thought.

Sakumo himself.

And not without a heavy drop of guilt, he remembered that particular conversation with Jiraiya all those years ago.

Had he truly seen things, or was his mind trying to suggest the fact he was seen that same glint of possessiveness in those golden eyes?


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of the evening passed in amiable company once Sakumo managed to push those unpleasant thoughts away for the time being, the sake soon running out and Tsunade leaning quite heavily against Orochimaru for support. Sakumo won his round against Jiraiya, who had been too busy staring at Tsunade's chest to come up with a decent strategy— earning himself an earful from Orochimaru because «honestly, you'd be killed if you ever happen to see a pair of breasts in the middle of a battle, you oaf». Once the Sannin had left (Orochimaru carrying a very inebriated kunoichi in his arms because he didn't trust Jiraiya enough to hold her without groping, and then he'd be the one with a bruised cheek if he let the pervert anywhere near Tsunade's private parts. Then again, he rather have a bruised cheek like broken bones like it had happened to the white-haired Sannin.) Sakumo cleaned everything up, washing the used glasses and dishes before daring to venture in Kakashi's room for their traditional goodnight kiss— because as much as Kakashi complained about being a grown up and not needing goodnight kisses, Sakumo held onto the few things that hadn't been lost over the years quite stubbornly. Kakashi was just a kid and Sakumo was sent on so many missions, one never... truly knew if he would get to hold his son in his arms the next day. His mind was still full with questions, which only increased his fatherly paranoia, and he needed to know at least a bit more, otherwise he wouldn't be able to sleep.

"Err... Pup?" He slid the shōji door open and stepped into the painfully clean room, noticing his son was still sitting on his bed with a scroll in his hands. Sakumo wouldn't have minded to see a few scattered toys, but Kakashi had already gotten rid of them.

"Tou-san," Kakashi said rather flatly, looking up to look at his father with a brow raised, "can I help you?" He was still slightly annoyed after being unable to concentrate on the scroll before him, Tsunade being so loud while drunk it was impossible for him to even understand the first line of the text that happened to explain the mechanics of the _Kawarimi no Jutsu_.

Sakumo barely bit a frustrated sigh, wondering once more why the boy seemed so keen on treating him like a stranger. He was no perfect parent— but then again, who really was? He always tried his best, though. Moving to sit right next to Kakashi, he looked up at the ceiling and hummed softly. "You haven't talked to me all day," he began, sounding quite relaxed and light-hearted for the time being, "and I wanted to know if you were alright."

The five year old resisted the urge to roll his eyes, and Sakumo couldn't help but wonder if he'd act like this if his mother hadn't died. The gesture had resembled Orochimaru so strongly, Sakumo wished Kakashi would instead smile like his mother used to do. The Sannin had been a godsend in multiple occasions, but perhaps he had rubbed off on his son a bit too much. The thought was quite unsettling.

"Hai, tou-san. And for the record, I _did_ talk to you a while ago."

"I highly doubt that would be considered as a proper conversation between father and son, Pup." Sakumo's tone was sad and slightly hurt, and Kakashi had the decency to look slightly ashamed, suddenly avoiding the older's steady gaze. He sighed and after a minute of silence scooted closer to his father, resting his head on Sakumo's shoulder. The boy realized he hadn't done that in a while, and the guilt became downright crushing, while Sakumo experienced the same thing for guilt-tripping his son into dropping his walls around him of all things. "I just miss being around you like old times."

"I..." —Another sigh— "I apologize, tou-san. I just want to know everything I possibly can before my first day at the Academy. And there's so much more to learn..." But there was something left unsaid, something that Sakumo couldn't quite figure out. Kakashi's tone was almost worried, as if there was an important reasoning behind his actions.

"What's the point of knowing everything if you're going to the Academy? Unless you want to graduate during your first year, I don't see the point," said the older Hatake in bemusement, both eyebrows raised. "Don't you want to be with your friends, Kakashi? What about Rin and Genma?"

Kakashi looked up at him with wide eyes. Clearly, he hadn't thought about that particular point.

If truth be told, Orochimaru had expressed his desire for Kakashi to be the best of his year, claiming that everyone should know what he was capable of doing without really showing them anything of importance. Academic fields seemed the best place to start, and since his sensei had told him to keep it as their little secret, Kakashi refused to betray Orochimaru's trust like that.

Perhaps, if he had been a bit older or at least more experienced, he would've questioned if what Orochimaru had truly wanted was for him to graduate early. Not that it would've answered any of his questions, because why on earth would the Sannin want that?

It all remained in the shadows. For the time being, at the very least least.

A heartbeat after he furrowed his brows, deciding to... subtly cover one truth with another one. "I just want to be like you," —because even if Sakumo didn't see it, Kakashi worshipped the ground he walked on— "and—" he stopped and the bridge of his nose turned pink. It was the closest thing to admitting to his father he admired him _that_ much he'd ever say. "And go out on missions to defend the village," he said quickly, not wanting to embarrass himself any further.

The silver-haired jōnin sighed and caressed his son's cheek affectionately with a heavy heart and even a heavier conscience for leaving his precious son all alone whenever he was sent on a mission. On any other circumstance he would've puffed his chest in pride, but considering how tense things were on a political level, it was hardly a comforting thought. "I graduated from the Academy at eight because we were in the middle of a war, Pup. We didn't have much of a choice. It was expected from us to be the best— it was eaither that or death." Kakashi shuddered at that, and Sakumo barely resisted the urge to do the same. "But you do. Spend as much time as possible with your friends. I don't want you to regret a single moment when you grow up." Kakashi looked up at him in surprise, shoulders losing their tension upon realizing his father didn't really expect him to follow his footsteps.

"Even with Obito?" Kakashi asked, clearly hoping Sakumo would said no. To say the Uchiha boy and Kakashi didn't get along was the understatement of the century— and every single altercation between them was because Obito thought Rin had a crush on him, Kakashi had to explain every single time that Rin actually had a crush on someone else. Then he'd proceed to tell the Uchiha it's never be him, and things would escalate from them. Sakumo had been incredibly amused and maybe slightly concerned about that.

For Kami's sake— they were five year olds talking about crushes! Was this the side consequence of forcing an entire generation to grow up before their time? The birth ratio in Konoha didn't need any help just yet.

"Yes, even with Obito Uchiha. You should give him a chance— he might surprise you."

"He's a _baka_ , like Jiraiya-san." Sakumo tried to hide his smirk, mouth twitching at that. Kakashi didn't look sorry as he kept taking. "I don't like people that believe they're better than everyone else."

"But even Orochimaru and Tsunade are his friends, right?" He asked, waiting for a reaction at the mention of the Sannin. Kakashi seemed to think about it before shrugging, still unamused he had to be cordial to someone like Obito Uchiha. "Look at it this way— someone needs to be there and remind them they're just human like the rest of us."

"I guess. Still— I rather be with Orochimaru-sensei than having to deal with someone like Obito." Kakashi's eyes widened after realizing what he had just said and his cheeks turned slightly red, not that it could be seen and the mask covered most of his face successfully. "I mean, be _around_ him..." he trailed off, and for a moment Sakumo thought steam would come out of his ears. Then he remembered about the times he had seen Minato-kun talk about Kushina-chan and a cold sweat broke on the back of his neck at the uncanny resemblance.

 _But he was five! Five, Kami! Please have mercy!_

"You sure like Chi-kun's company, don't you?" Sakumo tried to ask as casually as possible, barely resisting the overprotective need to shield Kakashi from the world— and more specifically, to protect him from Orochimaru, although the idea of shredding him to bits seemed certainly appealing as well. Alas, it was simply too soon for Sakumo to be worried about scaring little boys— or in this apparent case, his own friend.

But from what he remembered Orochimaru had never given the impression he wanted to... be with Nawaki in that particular sense of the word, so perhaps he was worrying over nothing. Unless... things were different with Kakashi? What if Orochimaru had something plann—

Guilt. Sakumo bit the tip of his tongue, cursing the day Jiraiya had opened that big mouth of his and plant that little seed of doubt in his brain.

Meanwhile, Kakashi looked like a deer in the proverbial headlights, completely unaware of the Sakumo's train of thought. Quickly, he forced himself to look bored, giving a shrug of his shoulders. It was his deepest secret— one he wasn't entirely sure about since he couldn't deal with emotions very well and whenever Orochimaru was involved his usually dormant emotions would go in every direction— and he simply couldn't have his father know about that.

"He's my sensei..." he said slowly, choosing his words carefully, "and I respect him as a Konoha shinobi. He listens to me like you do, and unlike Jiraiya, he shows me cool stuff." Or... maybe not so carefully. Not that Kakashi would be aware of the unintentional sexual innuendo that had just escaped his lips.

Sakumo paled quite noticeably, and his thoughts turned downright black at the though of Orochimaru showing Kakashi th—

"Like Katon jutsus."

... Ah. He should've thought about that kind of stuff. Fucking Hell, and Kakashi was now looking at him suspiciously.

" _Why_ are you asking, tou-san?"

"I'm just glad you are comfortable around other people," his father explained lightly, thanking all his years of his ANBU training that allowed him to structure lies so easily. "And he's a great sensei. He could teach you great things once you graduate from the academy. Rikkudo knows you're far beyond a standard gēnin level." Kakashi nodded, satisfied with the answer. Orochimaru was indeed a phenomenal mentor.

"Hai... he truly is amazing."

Yes, ama—

 _Sweet Kami, the level of reverence in his voice..._

Sakumo's jaw clenched painfully, and now the idea of Orochimaru doing something to Kakashi so he'd become loyal to the Sannin— perhaps even going as far as to make his son fall in love— wasn't so absurd anymore.

The same reverence had been heard in Nawaki's voice, years ago. His loyalty to Orochimaru had been so fierce it had almost rivaled his loyalty to Konoha. Sakumo has gone as far as to call it childish infatuation.

But no infatuation ever made someone willing to die for that person. The sight of Nawaki running ahead of Orochimaru, who had been at the time the leader of his own Team 7, haunted him viciously.

« _I'll always protect you, Orochimaru-sensei_!»

Then—

"Tou-san," Kakashi interrupted Sakumo's thoughts, putting his scroll away and removing his mask without much of a fuss— after all, the only people who had ever seen Kakashi's bare face was Sakumo. "Time for bed." His big eyes were already half-lidded, and it was one of those rare moments he actually looked like a five year old instead of a young adult.

"Yes, yes..." Sakumo said absently, Tsunade's faint cries from a distant time echoing in his ears. He tucked Kakashi in and kissed his forehead, allowing his cheek to rest lightly atop the messy shock of silver hair affectionately for a long moment. Sakumo only then realized how terrified he was of losing something so precious and pure like his son's life. "Sweet dreams, Pup."

"You too, tou-san."

Not that Sakumo would get any sleep.

The image of Nawaki stepping on that land mine while trying to _protect_ Orochimaru from Kiri nins plagued his mind all night.

* * *

 _"Sakumo-sensei! Look, look!" Nawaki ran to the silver-haired jōnin, showing him the brand new flak vest along with a certificate. Not afar away we're his teammates and Orochimaru, the leader of the soon-to-be former Team 7. Sakumo looked down at Tsunade's little brother, one hand resting on his hip._

 _"Omedetō, kiddo. Enjoy it while you can, being a chūnnin is absolute hell," he teased, knowing fully well Nawaki wouldn't get scared so easily. He had worked himself to the bone, trying to prove everyone he was much more than just the Senjū blood in his veins. "But you already look like you've been through it, guess you'll get used to it in no time." And it was true, the now chūnnin looked terrible._

 _"Do try not to scare my chūnnin here, Hatake." They turned to look at Orochimaru, who looked vaguely amused. Nawaki's eyes seemed to light up immediately and he offered a wide smile._

 _"I'm not scared! I promised to protect everyone, didn't I Orochimaru-sensei?" The dark-haired jōnin let out a noncommittal sound, making Sakumo laugh to himself. Team 7 was something else alright, he mused— not that his own team was normal by any means, with Inuzuka Tsume and Namikaze Minato in it. "I'll become the strongest shinobi in Konoha's history!"_

 _Orochimaru looked almost **proud** of Nawaki._

 _"Really, now?" Asked Orochimaru, his golden eyes reflecting some emotion Sakumo couldn't identify right away._

 _"Yes!" Then Nawaki turned to face his sensei while slipping on his new flak vest, flashing Orochimaru a smile so full of warmth and adoration it almost made Hatake squirm. "I'll always protect you, Orochimaru-sensei!"_

The emotion had been possessiveness, Sakumo thought when the memory came to an end, ignoring the bitter taste in his mouth at the reminder of Nawaki's death.

8 am. He hadn't slept at all, like predicted.

He rolled out of bed and changed from his uniform to normal civilian clothes, not wanting Kakashi to find out he hadn't slept. The bags under his eyes were already awful on their own, and he wasn't looking forward to the five year-old fussing over him when he had more important things to do.

Like trying to figure out what the hell he'd do regarding the whole Orochimaru-Kakashi issue. While the memories he had recounted all night were all unequivocally true, Sakumo couldn't ignore the feeling that maybe he was also overthinking everything and that _maybe_ Orochimaru wanted to be like a fatherly figure in his son's life.

Not that he minded the fact that Orochimaru was a male— an androgynous looking male, but a male nonetheless. Regardless of Sakumo being his friend, he had to admit Orochimaru didn't quite have the most pure of intentions. He was a _man_ interested in Kakashi. And twenty years older than him to top it all off. In his opinion, not son-in-law material.

And— the more immature part of his brain suggested— he had a huge, deadly tongue. Sakumo wondered what he could do with it, only to regret it as a visual of an older Kakashi writhing under Orochimaru came to mind.

Kakashi found his father glaring heatedly at the cup of tea in front of him, hands gripping the edge of the table hard enough to break it. It was a miracle the mug hadn't cracked under such hateful stare. Walking to him, he tugged at Sakumo's pants, trying to catch his attention.

"Tou-san, what are you doing?"

Sakumo stopped immediately and smiled at his son, forcing the tension to leave his body at least for the time being. "Nothing, I'm just worried about some things regarding my mission and accidentally bit my tongue." After picturing Orochimaru pinning a blushing Kakashi to a bed, that is. He resisted the urge to unsheathe his sword and chop the piece of furniture into tiny pieces. His _baby_ wasn't even aware of whatever the hell was happening— _if it was happening in the first place— and he was already jumping to conclusions._

"You're weird."

That he was.

"Weird is good."

Kakashi sighed again before letting go of his dad's pants, sitting down on the chair across from the spot Sakumo usually occupied. Digging into his breakfast (broiled saury with salt, he noticed with a delighted hum), the boy tilted his head to the side, eyebrows knitted in what Sakumo could only call determination.

"I've decided," he mumbled after swallowing a mouthful of rice, "that I won't graduate early from the Academy." He watched Sakumo beam at him and relaxed at the approval, though not all of the tension eased away as he was all too aware that he needed to share said decision with his sensei.

Orochimaru wouldn't be pleased.

"I'll support you no matter what, Pup. But, I'm glad you've decided to listen to your old man."

"Is that a promise?"

"Yes, it is."

Kakashi looked at his food, not bothering to hide his smile. "Good."

* * *

Kakashi walked up to the secluded training grounds where Orochimaru and him used to train, reminding himself not to drag his feet despite the growing need to crawl into his bed and sleep for the rest of the day.

His father had been incredibly supportive, and it had warmed Kakashi's heart in a way no one else could, but his joy had surely been short lived.

How was he going to explain that to Orochimaru-sensei?

A light sweat broke on his forehead at the question. How indeed.

Thankfully, a kunai was thrown his way, effectively forcing him to snap out of his reverie as he dodged it easily, taking one of his own from his holster around his thigh to protect himself if needed. He looked around, holding in his breath for a second before he felt it.

Orochimaru didn't even blink then the tip of the kunai suddenly pointed his jugular, watching Kakashi's flexible body turn to face him properly. His earrings danced around his shoulders when a strong gust of wind hit them, but his body remained the same.

"Too late," he said matter-of-factly, brows slightly furrowed. "I could've already killed you."

Kakashi took a step back and scowled, clearly upset. He should've known better.

"I apologize."

"Dead people don't have the need to apologize."

The boy flinched at the tone and knew he would have to voice the reason for being distracted during training.

"Hai, sensei."

Orochimaru only hummed and waited. Kakashi took a deep breath and looked into those deadly eyes, still gripping the kunai tightly.

"I won't be graduating from the Academy early."

At that, the Sannin scowled. The unspoken command was too obvious.

"I had a conversation with tou-san," he then added, not liking the expression on the other's face. "He said I should make the most of my Academy years."

Ah, but of course.

Orochimaru couldn't bring himself to be angry at Sakumo, but he was clearly frustrated because even though he wasn't Kakashi's father, he had still expected his opinion to overweight the others. The too familiar prick of jealousy made his skin crawl uncomfortably, but he didn't let it show.

"You must appreciate the Academy more than my mentoring, then."

He was playing dirty, the both knew it. And despite knowing what the other wanted to do, Kakashi looked slightly alarmed.

"That's not it, Orochimaru-sensei."

"Five years is a waste of time. I could make you much more powerful in half the time, hatchling." Had Kakashi been older, he would've been able to notice the way Orochimaru's voice had turned into the richest velvet, as if he were a man offering a thousand pieces of gold to a beggar.

But Kakashi simply averted his gaze, not looking sorry, just... pleading for understanding. "I already made up my mind, sensei."

"Then why should I keep mentoring you?"

"Because you..." Orochimaru noticed the endearing way Kakashi's cheeks turned slightly pink, and his eyes slightly glossy. "Only you can make me powerful."

In the blink of an eye Orochimaru had closed the distance between them, and put one knee down so he could look into Kakashi's eyes better. Satisfaction coursed through his veins, and he even offered a rare smile that held too much of everything. One pale hand reached out to cup a blushing cheek, yet Orochimaru didn't dare to do anything else. He already had Kakashi where he wanted him.

"You are mine, hatchling. Don't you ever forget that."

"Orochimaru-sensei...?"

"I will make you the greatest shinobi ever. I will give you power beyond your imagination. You want to protect the ones you love, don't you?" His words were the sweetest nectar that could turn into the deadliest poison. Kakashi shivered, not quite realizing that. "I can make that happen for you, as long as you accept to be mine."

Silence fell upon them, and Kakashi finally met his eyes again. Orochimaru's usually hard stare was now warm, and his body became putty in his hands.

He'd do anything for him. Why... he didn't quite understand.

"I'll always protect you, Orochimaru-sensei."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hello lovelies! I'd like to apologize for taking so long in updating this, it was honestly not my intention. I just got lost with my muse for my other story and got a bit caught up in the SakuOro feels. But I'm back with a new chapter! Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Two months had already passed by and before Sakumo knew it, it was Kakashi's birthday. The Academy has started only two weeks ago and Kakashi had already proved he was far ahead his classmates. The jōnin suspected he was between a high-rank gēnin and a low-rank chūnnin— and, for a five year old, it was completely amazing. Then again, such thing had been expected from his son, being the heir of an elite ninja clan— the Hatake ichizoku might not have been like the Hyūga or Uchiha ichizokus, but it was still considered one of the most powerful even if there were only two members left.

His son, Kakashi, was a prodigy.

Not that Sakumo had ever harbored doubts in his heart, mind you. There hadn't been other person to be as aware as himself.

Well. Except for Orochimaru, but he was always the exception when it came to those kinds of things. It was like he could smell talent— as weird as it sounded.

The only doubt he had at the moment was pretty simple, actually— what in the Nine Hells should he buy for his son's birthday? Anything school-related would be pretty useless, seeing he had already mastered every single subject from year two syllabus. A brand new set of kunais sounded moderately good, but the last thing Sakumo wanted was for his son to think he wanted the boy to train harder than he already was. The silver-haired nin was all too aware of the small cuts adorning those tiny hands, and Kakashi didn't need anymore of that.

He might be six now, but his son was still a child, _not a weapon_.

Perhaps... a pet? But Sakumo wasn't so convinced about that. A sigh escaped him. Rikkudo, why did it have to be so hard? If he didn't think of anything soon, Sakumo wouldn't have time to buy it.

But— _maybe he didn't need to..._

His eyes widening, he ran towards his room and closed the door even though his son was at the Academy. In his closet, right on the second shelf, there was a black scroll with a seal keeping it safe. Sakumo took it out and dusted it off, blowing the remaining particles before opening the seal. His lips curved into a small smirk, satisfied with his idea— and, for once, he was sure Kakashi would _love_ it. Sliding the scroll into one of the pockets of his flak vest, Konoha's White Fang headed to the kitchen with the intention of getting everything ready for that night's celebration.

* * *

Kakashi ran into the compound after saying goodbye to Genma and Rin, knowing they'd be back in a couple of hours for cake. It had been a great day— he had gotten a perfect score in his test, Obito had failed and his father had packed a double ration of saury with salt for lunch. He couldn't wait to remind the Uchiha when he came later that night.

Not that he had been eager to invite him, but Rin was a noble soul that ended up convincing him and he wanted to show his father he was willing to make acquaintances with knuckleheads too just to make him proud.

He expected chocolate cake in return.

"Tadaima, tou-san!" Kakashi toed off his sandals and followed the heavenly smell, only to be practically tackled by a much larger frame halfway to the kitchen. " _Agh_ — tou-san, you're crushing me!"

Sakumo laughed out loud and engulfed the younger Hatake in a bear hug, making sure not to hurt him by accident. "I just can't believe my Pup is growing up! Six years, Kakashi! I've been a father for six years." Only pulling away to grin at his son, the jōnin placed both hands on the boy's shoulders.

"Dad," said Kakashi in slight embarrassment, glad his mask covered most of the blush even though the bridge of his nose was still red for his father to see. "That's embarrassing, stop..."

"None of that," said the other before standing up, pulling his son up with him. It wasn't his birthday but Sakumo was still incredibly excited— his kid was now six, after all! A one in a lifetime event! "Now... there's something I wanted to give you."

"More tackles?" The way Kakashi said it made Sakumo laugh and shake his head, taking the scroll out of his pocket to show it to his son. He seemed confused at first, as no visible label could be seen, gray eyes twinkling in curiosity. "What's that, tou-san?"

"You tell me, Pup." Sakumo was grinning from ear to ear, waving the scroll to the sides. "You're smart, come on."

Kakashi took it as a challenge and took the scroll in his hands, opening to inspect its contents. After a minute of trying to decipher the rather complex words scribbled all over the paper, his eyes widened in delight. " _Is this_ —?!"

"Mhm. It is," confirmed his father, amusement etched onto his handsome face when he saw his kid jumped in clear excitement, not caring if he was showing too much emotion or not. It was _the_ scroll, after all. "I doubt you'll be able to master it right away, but you're a smart kid, Pup. It'd be silly of me to wait longer for you to own this." Kakashi then was the one to tackle Sakumo to the ground, his mind running as he tried to read everything there was on the scroll. "Oof! Careful there, your father is old enough to break a hip."

"But you did it moments ago!"

"I do not recall."

"Liar!"

"A liar?" Sakumo gasped in mock-indignation and narrowed his eyes at Kakashi, already reaching out to grab the scroll. "Well, since I'm a liar then perhaps I should take this back..."

"NO! _No, no, no!_ " Kakashi jumped with the scroll in his hands and sprinted to his room, barely managing to escape from Sakumo's grasp. The older of the two laughed out loud before a sharp pang hit his lower back, making him groan out loud. He might be a first class shinobi, but he was getting old. Dammit. "Tou-san," the little one called out, returning to the room with no scroll in his hands. He probably put it away for now which suited him just fine. They'd practice some other day.

The Kuchiyose no Jutsu was a hard technique to master. It took Sakumo a bit to summon Ôkami, the Alpha of the wolf pack and even a longer time to earn his respect enough for the massive black wolf to stop calling him «brat» or «cub».

"Yes, Pup?"

"Who's coming over tonight?"

"Your friends, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru... even Sandaime-same promised he'd stop by at some point."

Kakashi's mouth dropped. Now, he wasn't really sure if it was because the Hokage would be in their house, or maybe because Orochimaru was coming, but his son soon jumped and shot him the nastiest glare a child his age could muster.

"I can't greet Hokage-Dana like this! I have no time! I'm taking a shower!"

And with that, the boy ran.

Sakumo picked himself up and smirked, walking into the kitchen. That should give him enough time to finish last minute details.

* * *

The guest began to appear on his door when six rolled around, and by that time Kakashi was ready to be swarmed in hugs and just affection, thing he wasn't used to if it came from another person other than his dad. Tsunade and Rin were the first to arrive, and they seemed to have a challenge of who could squeeze the life out of Kakashi first. By the time Jiraiya had appeared, Kakashi's face was bright red and he couldn't look at the females in the eye.

"Lucky kiddo," whispered Jiraiya to Sakumo when Rin tried to distract the Hatake boy with the present she had bought him— white bandages for everyday wear, and by the pleased look on Kakashi's face, she had gotten the perfect thing for him. It wasn't overly cheesy like most presents tended to be— but it was clear Rin cared a lot, and he didn't want to see Kakashi hurting himself while training. "Tsunade never hugged me like that when we were kids."

"Perhaps because you tried to grope her on your first team meeting," replied Sakumo dryly, but his shoulders shook for a brief minute. Jiraiya shrugged. "That's what you get for being a pervert."

"Ah, but I'm not any pervert. I'm _the_ pervert, the great Ji— ouch, Tsunade! What was that for?!"

"You're being loud, baka!"

Rin giggled softly to herself while Kakashi shook his head in mock disappointment. Just as he was about to speak, there was a knock on the entrance door and Sakumo opened it to reveal a nervous Genma with Orochimaru right behind him. Rin jumped in surprise before tensing— rumors about him where downright vicious around the village, and while she didn't really fear him, he was really intimidating.

Of course, Kakashi saw none of that.

"Orochimaru-san!" He smiled beneath the mask, surprising both Genma and Rin. Of course Kakashi must've known him since his father and the Sannin were close friends, but they actually hadn't seen him so excited before. Sharing a look for a moment, they assumed that perhaps Orochimaru-sama wasn't as bad as the village made him look. "Genma, you're late!"

"Oi, I'm not!" Genma exclaimed half-heartedly, unusually shy since he was in a room with Konoha's heroes. "I just— now I'm not giving you my present!"

"Then I won't share my cake with you!"

That seemed to do the trick, because the next second Genma and Kakashi were in a heated— but obviously playful— argument, Rin trying to quiet them down while the adults watch in amusement. Deciding to interrupt, Orochimaru stepped forward.

"Happy birthday, hatchling. I apologize for my tardiness." Kakashi whipped his head to look at the Sannin, his cheeks turning warm under the fabric of his mask. "It's not a big thing, but I think it will be helpful in the years to come." The Sannin offered Kakashi a medium-sized package and the boy accepted it eagerly, setting it down next to the small pile on the table.

"Thank you, Orochimaru-san." His mood changed rather drastically when he turned to look at Genma with an extended arm, earning a few chuckles from the Legendary Sannin.

"Yeah, yeah. Happy birthday, teme." Genma grinned and tossed him the package, only shrugging when Kakashi caught it easily and put it right next to Orochimaru's. "Is Uchiha coming or what?"

"He told me he would," said Rin, gently tapping on his chin.

"If he doesn't, that's more cake for us."

" _Kakashi_ ," Sakumo admonished him gently, but Kakashi didn't look sorry at all.

"It's true! He eats as much as Jiraiya-san!"

"What's that supposed to mean, kiddo!"

Kakashi raised his chin at him, not saying a word.

Orochimaru actually snorted at that, covering his mouth soon after. Tsunade just shot him a knowing look.

Sakumo laughed softly to himself and clapped once, successfully catching everybody's attention. "Before cake, how about we eat something first?" Rin jumped and walked to the table, letting out a delighted gasp.

"It looks delicious, Sakumo-san!" Having tasted his food before, Rin was more than eager to dig in.

If, of course, Jiraiya didn't eat it all first.

" _Itadakimasu_!"

* * *

Kakashi waved at Rin and she and her father walked out of the compound, having promised he'd start using her present right away. Closing the door, he walked back into the living room, where Genma was talking to Jiraiya excitedly— the boy had even engaged in small talk with Orochimaru, and to his delight it had been a really interesting conversation where the Sannin had answered his questions regarding basic ninjutsus and taijutsu postures. Kakashi was glad to see his friend got along so well with three of the most important people in his life, especially the dark-haired nin. Rin seemed to like him as well, and Orochimaru seemed to return it to some degree.

Which, in Orochimaru language, meant he really liked the kids.

The Hogake had honored his word and had stopped by briefly to wish Kakashi a happy birthday, give him his present— a scarf his wife had knitted especially for him, in Kakashi's favorite color— and share a slice of cake before he had to leave to attend his duties as a Hokage.

"Tired, Pup?" Asked Sakumo, and Kakashi shook his head before sitting next to his father.

"No, tou-san. And I still have to open my presents." As soon as he said that, the silver-haired boy reached out to grab Tsunade's present, thanking her again and opening under the watchful eyes of four adults and one kid.

Kakashi took the sword holster from the box with a surprised blink, appreciating the resistant leather beneath his fingertips. It must've costed a fortune, no doubt. He was at a lost of words, and Tsunade probably sensed it because she laughed softly.

"Just wait a second, Kakashi-kun."

Huh?

"I think he should open my present now, Tsunade-hime." Rolling her eyes at the honorific, Tsunade playfully elbowed Orochimaru before handing the package that was on her side of the table. Now with an idea of what was in it, Kakashi accepted it with trembling fingers and tired the paper, opening the box to reveal a stunningly beautiful sword.

"I can't—" Were the first words that came out of his mouth, but Orochimaru raised a hand to silence him.

"We figured that you'd have the same ability for kenjutsu as your father, hatchling. And like him, who learned at a young age, you should have the same privilege." Kakashi just looked at them wide eyes while Genma gawked at the blade, looking over Kakashi's shoulder in awe. Meanwhile, Sakumo and Jiraiya exchanges surprised glances, thinking it had been an incredibly thoughtful gesture from the both of them. And damn, of course it was. The blade didn't look like one that could be bought from a random blacksmith. The question is, where had Orochimaru bought it. Apparently the question was evident on his faces because the other male continued, "It's a sword like Muramasa. One could say they're alike, seeing they share most of the components, but this should fit you better. Its name is Fudo Masamune."

At that, everyone gasped. Masamune was a legendary sword, and to believe Kakashi was now the owner made Genma actually shake Kakashi, exclaiming something like «I can't believe it! You lucky baka! Wait until the others see this! Rikkudo!» Sakumo, on the other hand, stood up and went to retrieve his own sword, his eyes still as wide as saucers.

"Wait—" Jiraiya said all of a sudden, finally catching up to the other males. "Sakumo, isn't your sword—"

"Musashi Masamune."

" _You and your dad have twin swords?!_ " Genma practically screamed, and soon Kakashi snapped out of his daze.

"That—"

"That means, they have a ninety five percent chance of a perfect combination," concluded Orochimaru, who looked smug to produce such an impact on the others. "This should help you teach him better, Sakumo."

"Where did you get it?!"

At that, both Tsunade and Orochimaru smirked. "Ah ah, that's a _secret_ ," said the kunoichi in a teasing voice.

"My present will look so pathetic compared to yours," Jiraiya sighed but handed Kakashi the package nonetheless, who had just sheathed his sword and gently put it next to his dad, who looked just as excited as he was. Unlike Kakashi, who had been too shocked to do anything other than bow at the Sannin, Sakumo pulled them into a bear hug— or, he pulled Tsunade into a side-hug and Orochimaru into a headlock, thanking them profusely. "Come on, open it."

Kakashi didn't need to be told twice. He repeated the process and actually cracked a smirk when he saw what was inside of the box. The Toad Sage returned the smirk and crossed his arms over his chest, proud that the kid had actually liked his present.

"What is it?" Asked Tsunade in curiosity. Since Kakashi has made no negative comment, it was pretty obvious it wasn't related to Jiraiya's unhealthy obsessions. Sakumo inched closet to look at the present— a book— in Kakashi's hands.

 _Seishitsu Henka: 1001 techniques._

"Inside there are a few papers that will help you find out what elemental nature you have. You could learn a thing or two by the time you graduate."

Orochimaru looked at the book approvingly, rather surprised Jiraiya had thought of something like that. Once again, he had managed to surprise them.

"You better let me learn this with you, teme," Genma warned all of a sudden, and Kakashi snorted before nodding once.

"Like you'd let me train without you, dobe." Kakashi automatically decided he wouldn't show it to anyone else for now, with the exception of Rin. Genma seemed to understand what he was thinking, because he nodded in agreement.

"Now it's my turn. Should've given it to you first, because it's totally lame compared to the other presents." Genma threw the Sannin a pointed look before cracking a small smile, turning to watch Kakashi pull out a pair of elbow-high gloves— much like the ones the ANBU black ops used. "I know Rin gave you bandages for your legs, so I thought to give you something for your arms."

Kakashi was touched. "Thanks, Genma. Now I'll be able to punch you without worrying about my knuckles."

"Like you'd touch me, Kakashi."

"Want to bet?"

Just as he was about to reply, there was a knock on the door. Genma quickly got up and bowed respectfully, sprinting to the door with a «must be my dad, I'll walk myself out! Thank you, Sakumo-san! See you, _Bakakashi_!»

"I hate that nickname," grumbled Kakashi under his breath before yawning. Without waiting for his father to tell him to go to bed, he stood up and in a rare display of emotion, hugged the adults one at a time— hugging Orochimaru a bit longer that the rest, Sakumo noticed as he tried to keep his protectiveness at bay when the Sannin rubbed Kakashi's back affectionately— before he gathered his presents and left the room with a, "goodnight."

The head of the Hatake ichizoku felt awful for slightly disliking the fondness on Orochimaru's face as Kakashi left. But, Sakumo also had to admit— he had changed a lot, and for the better.

Maybe... it wasn't so bad..?

Not that he'd ever admit it aloud.

"Now!" Tsunade exclaimed and showed them a surprisingly big bottle of sake that had managed to stay hidden in the pockets of her jacket. "Who wants to play the first round of shōgi?"

"I'll bring the glasses! _And yes Orochimaru, you're drinking!_ "

Sakumo relaxed and closed his eyes for a moment.

Yeah, maybe it wasn't so bad.

* * *

A/N: Masamune was Japan's best blacksmith. His swords are considered to be legendary and to this day there are still 10 to 11 of them. Also, Ôkami is a wolf deity that is known for either protecting or attacking people depending on how they've led their lives up until that point. Hope you liked it!


	4. Chapter 4

"Tou-san... oi, tou-san! Wake up!" Gentle hands grabbed him by the shoulder and Sakumo was gently shook awake, unable to stifle the groan that made its way up his throat and out of his mouth. His eyes were still shut tightly, his own hands gripping the futon as if that would allow him to sleep for a bit longer.

" _Tou-san!_ "

So much for hoping it'd actually happen. He opened his eyes slowly, thankful the curtains were still shut as his eyes adjusted slowly, eventually finding Kakashi's own grey eyes. His son was kneeling next to his futon, arms crossed over his chest and brows knitted together in what could only be frustration. It brought a smile to his lips, and despite the fact Sakumo was not a morning person, his day seemed brighter already.

"Is there a particular reason as to why you're waking me up at this ungodly hour, Pup?" He decided to play dumb just to see his son's adorable reaction. "This is my first day off in almost three months, and I am getting quite old, let your old man sleep some more."' Kakashi raised his chin and huffed his disapproval, and Sakumo could see the way his lips pursed underneath his mask.

"Could it be... oh, I don't know... the day I finally graduate from the Academy? I'll be officially a gēnin!" His son replied sarcastically, knowing fully well his father hadn't forgotten and was just pulling his leg. Not that he hadn't been almost choked to death when he had finally received his own hitai-ate— Sakumo had been so excited he had applied too much pressure to Kakashi's windpipes, and his face had turned a hilarious shade of purple, according to Genma. "I refuse to be late for something like this, tou-san. This is not even funny. The most important day of my life so far and you don't even want to get out of bed."

Sakumo couldn't help it.

He laughed and pulled his twelve year-old son in for a bear hug.

"I just had to. How could I have possibly forgotten? You've only talked about it for the past week of so... continuously, I may add." Ignoring Kakashi's attempts to free himself, Sakumo nuzzled the tip of his head affectionately before pressing a light kiss that finally made the other give up— maybe a little too easily.

Kakashi was still his little « _Kaka-chan_ », even if he wasn't allowed to say the nickname aloud anymore (after being threatened throughly by a mortified Kakashi.)

"There goes my efforts to make my hair half-presentable today," Kakashi grumbled against Sakumo's chest before indulging in the tiniest bits of cuddling, allowing the familiar warmth to soothe his nerves.

He didn't know why he was so nervous in the first place. He had passed the exam without really trying— having made four clones instead of one and using a basic henge so they adopted the examiners' physical characteristics. Kakashi had left the Academy that day reminding everybody why he was called the «genius of an entire generation», much to Obito's ever growing jealousy. The Uchiha had barely been able to produce a clone, and it was said that the only reason why he didn't fail was because their sensei wouldn't be able to deal with him another year.

He only hoped they wouldn't end up in the same team. Now that alone would be a good reason for him to drop his shinobi training immediately.

Either way... geniuses weren't supposed to be nervous about being acknowledged for their talents, right? But maybe it was because he had kept his promise about not graduating early, or because Sakumo would be among the crowd of proud parents for the ceremony.

Pfft. Of course not. He wasn't a kid anymore.

But... maybe it was... because...

Because he hoped Orochimaru would show up like he had promised all those years ago. Despite being in his father's warm embrace, Kakashi felt cold all of a sudden, and he barely stopped himself from shivering when a chill ran down his spine in the most unpleasant of ways. He pressed himself a bit more firmly to Sakumo's side, shoving any unpleasant thought to the back of his head.

It had been three years already, and he was still unable to move on.

Sometimes he thought what would be different at that moment if his father and Orochimaru hadn't been sent on that suicidal mission in the first place the day after he had turned seven. Perhaps another team not leaded by them would've been ambushed in the middle of the night, and maybe another leader would have made the decision to retreat. Then Sakumo and Orochimaru wouldn't have been subjected to the cold hatred of the shinobis who had been ready to die for their village (and most importantly, die as heroes for the greater good of the five elemental nations). Perhaps they'd have been able to live without the shame and guilt on his shoulders. Sakumo wouldn't have been on the brink of killing himself, and Orochimaru...

Orochimaru wouldn't have become a deserter.

He sometimes had nightmares about it. About seeing his father with the tip of his blade pressed against his stomach, despair and hopelessness etched so deeply across his features Kakashi thought it was a miracle Sakumo was able to smile after all that. If he hadn't arrived at that moment... who knows what would've happened. Perhaps he would be living on his own after graduating from the Academy at a ridiculously young age.

Perhaps he would've led a miserable life only to be killed during a mission.

Knowing Kakashi had witnessed his suicide attempt had shaken Sakumo to the core, and Konoha's White Fang had promised he'd rise from the ashes, because his son hadn't deserve any of it. His faults were his alone to atone for— Kakashi shouldn't suffer just because he had been unable to shrug the shame off his shoulders.

Of course Hiruzen Sarutobi has been... disappointed, to say the least, because the failure of their mission had resulted in many lives lost—even more so than the ones they would've lost if Sakumo hadn't ordered his troupe to retreat. Some low-rank jōnins has gone as far as to demand Sakumo's demotion, but Sarutobi had refused immediately. It was no secret both Orochimaru and Sakumo were the best shinobis in Konoha's forces. By being demoted to chūnnin, they wouldn't have been allowed to go on S-rank missions without the Hokage's direct approval.

It only gave Sakumo all the more reason to redeem himself. The lost shinobis wouldn't come back to life, but at the very least he could make their deaths mean something.

Right?

If only Orochimaru had thought the same way. Alas, the village had never really tried to understand or even welcome him as a member of their own kin, so when news hit, shit hit the proverbial fan. Not that Jiraiya or Tsunade had judged him because of his decision— after all, the Toad Sannin has been the one to raise three orphans in Ame in the middle of the war, and Tsunade has supported him during those three years.

But the disappointment had been so deep in Sarutobi's eyes, Orochimaru had refused to look at that face from that day on. That had been the first strike.

At first he tried to follow Sakumo's lead, but then... his teammates left the village, leaving him completely alone. Strike two.

The head of the Hatake ichizoku had been too busy mending his fragile relationship with his son after being caught red handed, ready to kill himself. Even Kakashi had slowly began to shut down when he turned nine years old, not because he had been ashamed of them— but because he was afraid he'd end up hurting. He had been so young, even his prodigious mind hadn't been able to deal with everything. Then those thin arms stopped circling his neck whenever he visited the compound. Strike three.

So, he took a quick decision and did something Sakumo had yet to know about, two years after it all happened. The night before he left Konoha, he wrote a brief note and placed it on Sarutobi's desk, briefly explaining he had been the one to force Sakumo to take the decision to retreat, and that he'd accept any punishment deemed fit. He had also told— not ask, never that— the Hokage to keep that information to himself, because Sakumo would've been stupid enough to try and assume all of the responsibility just to save the Sannin from punishment.

Orochimaru never waited for a reply. He left the next morning before the sun even came out, only stopping to leave a gift for Kakashi— one he would only discover when he had graduated from the Academy. By the time the village had roused from sleep, it was like Orochimaru had never existed.

In the end, his plan had worked just fine. Sarutobi had welcomed Sakumo like a lost child, and everyone did so as well ever so slowly, because their leader had placed unwavering trust in him once more, and that must've meant something important. Konoha's White Fang found himself at home once more, while the Black Snake lost himself in the shadows.

"Pup, as much as I'd like to stay here all day, we need to get going. You want to be there on time, no?" Sakumo waited for Kakashi to break the embrace, not having the heart to do it himself. It was too obvious he was thinking about a certain someone, and guilt struck like thunder. He should have gone after Orochimaru, after all. He should have done something.

Because while Sakumo was Kakashi's sun, as Tsunade had said one morning before leaving, Orochimaru was his moon and stars.

Kakashi opened his eyes and pulled away, fussing over his hair after his father had ruined for the sake of cuddling. He was feeling slightly better after the physical reassurance of not being alone, and the gēnin focused on the day ahead of him. "Hai, hai. Hurry up or I will eat your breakfast." Watching Sakumo's eyes widen at the seemingly innocent threat, Kakashi smirked to himself when the jōnin licked himself in the bathroom, the hot water being turned on seconds after.

Might as well do something about his hair.

* * *

Golden eyes watched the growing crowd with apprehension, snake-like irises flickering between the young faces of the graduated gēnins. It was certainly a challenge, trying to suppress his chakra signature while trying to concentrate the tiniest bits in his eyes so he could see more clearly— and ignoring how overwhelmed he felt because everything was so damn bright and defined whenever he used that specific technique.

But Orochimaru wasn't a genius for nothing. He sat there, hidden between thick threes and bushes in an almost uncomfortable position while he waited. Who would've thought spotting a blue mask and a mop of silver hair would be so darn difficult? Kami-sama, it was honestly ridiculous. Ridiculous enough to make him wonder if all that was worth seeing that face again. He was risking more than just his safety by being within Konoha's borders. He was risking his freedom and ideals just to see Kakashi's face— or whatever wasn't covered by that annoying mask— one more time.

The reason behind it made him cringe internally, but he refused to think about it for the time being.

There was a twisted sense of excitement pooling in the pit of his stomach, and maybe slight longing that crept in without him really noticing. Three years already and Rikkudo, he hadn't even left a darn note. Not that he could've explained himself without ruining everything, he thought while a bitter grimace made its way to his pale face. He was so deep in thought he almost missed that shock of silver hair, or the mellifluous voice that reached his naturally enhanced hearing. Cold amber eyes turned into a deep, warm honey when he was finally able to find the source of that voice, hands grasping the tree beneath him with so much force his fingers began to sink into the hard wood.

The first thing he noticed was the hitai-ate covering his forehead, the metal plate glinting proudly beneath the warm sunlight. Then those dark eyes that seemed to suck everything in, somehow managing to keep most emotions hidden somewhere in those bottomless pits. And finally... _Kami-sama_...

Kakashi wasn't wearing his mask.

Funny, how god and Kakashi seemed to share the first two letters. Though the now gēnin didn't look like one— yet. He was the physical embodiment of an angel at that tender age. Perfect bone structure that bordered on feminine and that beauty mark so close to his lips, it seemed to taunt Orochimaru. Kakashi would turn into a god alright, and he was going to be there for when that happened. But for now...

He simply looked from afar, an unusual fondness in his eyes and what could be considered a smile stretching his thin lips. Orochimaru drank the sight of his no-longer protégée greedily, not really knowing when they'd get to be so close again.

That's when grey met golden, and time seemed to freeze for a delicious second.

If Kakashi was surprised, his facial expression didn't betray him, but Orochimaru could see the way every muscle in his body seemed to tense— especially his jaw, and the Sannin was sure it'd be more than just sore a couple of hours from that moment. He wasn't trembling or clenching his fists, but with his father so close it's send amber alerts before Orochimaru had the chance to flee without being noticed.

It had been silly to think Kakashi wouldn't change in three years, but maybe it had been because Orochimaru had simply refused the idea of him growing up without him being around. Orochimaru has changed a lot himself, and not in a good way. He knew the darkness clinging to him like a second skin now all too well, and he had done simply too much to ever be forgiven and accepted into the village once more. Not until Sarutobi stepped down from his position as a Hokage, at the very least. That was considering his... _research_ remained a secret forever.

Hardly possible, in his opinion.

He wondered if Kakashi could see it. The changes were not as noticeable as Kakashi's physical development, but to the trained eye it'd be easy enough.

By the way the gēnin averted his gaze, he had been able to see it alright. But Orochimaru's gaze was still fixed on him, as if beckoning him to come closer. Hesitantly, their eyes met again, and this time the emotion was so raw he couldn't suppress the delighted shiver that ran down his spine.

Because Kakashi was willing to show emotion even for the fraction of a second. It was all for Orochimaru as much as it was because of him. He couldn't wait to feed on those emotions, to soothe them after basking in the feeling of being wanted and missed to fiercely and remind the little boy he was still Orochimaru's and _no one else's_. But... it was too soon. His little peach wasn't ripe just yet. He wouldn't take advantage of him. No. Orochimaru cared too much about him to even consider it.

Kakashi meant too much to him. He was simply too precious to corrupt like that.

He wanted him to be pure forever, and it was something only Orochimaru could ensure.

Maybe it was still too soon, but he could still do something before the time came.

He tilted his head to the side, knowing Kakashi would understand the meaning. The Hatake heir blinked a couple of times, but the other had already disappeared, not even leaving a puff of smoke in his wake. The instruction was too clear, and it left him breathless for a moment. He had seen the gesture too many times not to understand it, and if it had been hard to suppress the shudders that threatened to wreck his body, it was almost impossible for him to do so now. Apparently Rin and Obito hadn't noticed his behavior— mostly because he rarely voiced his opinions when surrounded by so many people, so he was able to excuse himself without raising suspicion. Barely avoiding a hyperactive Maito Gai, Kakashi found his father who was being challenged by none other that Dai, Gai's father. Orochimaru must've noticed this as well, and wanted Kakashi to use it to his advantage.

"Tou-san, I'm heading home. Too many people, I need some time to relax." His father turned to look at him in surprise, and Kakashi discreetly pointed at his bare face. Understanding flashed in those eyes identical to his own, and Sakumo ruffled his hair in a loving gesture. After all, it had been his idea and Kakashi had only amused him because he wanted to please his father. Almost everyone around them were looking at Kakashi intently, and not being a social butterfly, it was understandable his son was so fidgety.

"I have to do something before I head home, Pup. Take care, alright?" Kakashi smiled at his father, feeling terrible for lying to him like that, but he couldn't know.

If Sakumo even found out Orochimaru was in Konoha, he'd force him to stay, and the Sannin could refuse to return ever again. It'd get too ugly way too soon, and he wasn't ready for that anytime soon. His blood ran cold at the mere thought of it. So he just grabbed his diploma a bit more firmly and ran like the Devil was chasing him, jumping onto the nearest rooftop hastily. His body was shaking badly, and his palms pricked uncomfortably as he was hit with self-consciousness. Kakashi was suddenly all too aware of the lack of cloth covering the lower half of his face, but if he took a detour to grab him mask from his home, Orochimaru would be gone by the time he reached their meeting place.

Orochimaru had told him to meet him at the clearing they used as a training field all those years ago. His pulse skyrocketed at that.

He was not ready. Kami-sama, he was so not ready. But he could already see the forest growing closer with every step taken, and as soon as his feet found the irregular surface of a tree branch instead of the smooth concrete of buildings, he knew it was too late to change his opinion.

* * *

The sky was turning a light orange by the time Kakashi got there, and he wasn't ready for the sight that greeted him.

Orochimaru was standing there, using the same clothes Kakashi had last seen him with. His earrings glinted between raven locks, as if greeting him merrily after being away for so long. His muscles tensed again, and despite his growing need to take a step forward, Kakashi stood there motionless. His breathing was coming in shallow puffs, something that would've never had happened if he had been surrounded by his father of friends. Teeth worrying the inside of his cheek until they finally broke the skin, he simply waited for the other to take the first step.

The faint scent of blood reached the Sannin's nose and he resisted the urge to frown. Was Kakashi hurting himself because of him? Did he came here willingly? Aside from his growing concern— emotion he had no right to feel after he had abandoned the kid, a cruel voice reminded him— satisfaction made itself known in his chest. Because he still seemed to have an effect on Kakashi and he was there, after all.

" _Omedetō_ , hatchling."

He saw Kakashi flinch but no words came out. He was clearly having an internal conversation, even if his eyes didn't leave Orochimaru. They silence hung heavily around them, choking and unforgiving. The gēnin took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak, a thin string of blood running down his chin immediately.

"Why?"

Silence.

"Why?" He insisted, his tone flat and even slightly detached.

"I didn't call you here to talk about that."

"Then you shouldn't have come at all."

Ah, there it was. His bluntness was certainly endearing, Orochimaru decided. Kakashi might be looking at him like the way he used to look at Jiraiya whenever he said or did something stupid, but Orochimaru could see right through the façade.

"Don't you want me around, little one?"

"I should ask you the same question," he spat almost venomously, and suddenly it wasn't a mask anymore. Kakashi's conflicting emotions suddenly settled into a blinding anger, one he could barely control at the moment. He bit his lip this time, and more blood filled his mouth. Orochimaru didn't look worried or made an attempt to get closer and heal his broken lip. "What do you want?"

"I want _you_."

The anger vanished as soon as it came. He felt like the was no ground beneath his feet, but Kakashi refused to look weaker than he already did in front of Orochimaru.

"Don't you want me?"

His heart jumped to latch itself on his throat. Did he...

But if course he did. Orochimaru knew everything, he thought bitterly.

"You have no right to ask that."

"Mayhaps not," he agreed, and finally closed the distance between them— it all happened so quickly Kakashi had to take a step backwards. "I missed you, hatchling."

He was playing dirty by using that nickname. It struck a bunch of nerves all at once, and Kakashi wondered if he even felt remorse after leaving him like that. It didn't look like it.

Unbeknownst to him, the only thing Orochimaru regretted was not having taken Sakumo and Kakashi with him that morning.

"I—" He felt a cool hand ran through his messy hair, gently scratching behind his ear, and suddenly Kakashi was putty in his hands. He had done that too many times in the past, knowing it was something the gēnin absolutely adored. "Don't..." he trailed off and closed his eyes, trying to calm down or at least gather enough strength to slap that hand away. Neither of them happened.

"I know you missed me, too."

A tear ran down his cheek.

" _Don't_..." he repeated, voice barely above a whisper. Orochimaru, being taller than him, bent over and kissed that rebellious tear away, his tongue darting out to trail the path it had left behind. The diploma laid forgotten on the grass next to his fight foot, and he just wanted to pick it up and ran all the way home.

But... no, not really.

Those cold lips brushed against his cheeks and settled upon his forehead gently, barely touching the skin in a way that had Kakashi wondering if he was imagining all that.

"Where have you been?" He managed out, hands moving to rest on the Sannin's shoulders— to push him away or pull him closer, he wasn't so sure. "I didn't know..."

"I know," Orochimaru said, and Kakashi shivered at the way his lips grazed the warm skin of his forehead. "I'll be back for you, my little hatchling."

Another shiver, and a whimper was the only answer Kakashi could offer.

"When?"

"Soon." Orochimaru pulled away, long strands of dark hair dancing around his shoulders.

"But—"

"Soon." He turned around and began to walk away, and when Kakashi tried to follow him, he found his feet stuck to the grass. He looked down only to see—

Vines? He looked up to stare at Orochimaru's back accusingly, eyes bright with something one could even call amusement. When did he do that? And _wordlessly_?!

"In the mean time..." Orochimaru turned to look at him with a smirk dancing on his lips, and for a painful second it was like those three years had never happened. "I left something in your room for you to discover the day of your graduation the day I left." There came the crashing reality. "The day I return, I expect you to have it." The vines gripping his feet retreated, but Kakashi paid it no mind.

"It?"

But Orochimaru didn't answer. He turned around and was gone with a twirl of leaves.

* * *

A/N: Well, this took an unexpected turn! I shall be rewriting the first three chapters so they are more cohesive with this chapter. I'm exhausted. I was trying to write another chapter for Restart, but apparently people didn't like it and I'm stuck with that one. Sigh. Anyway, enjoy!


	5. Chapter 5

Kakashi stayed there until he was absolutely sure Orochimaru was not coming back, and dragged himself all the way to the compound with the diploma secure in his grasp. His body was still shaking rather uncontrollably but the weight on his shoulders had lessened the slightest bits. Part of him knew perfectly well he shouldn't trust his former sensei after everything that had happened, but even if he was a «rule freak» as Obito so eloquently called him, he couldn't bring himself to treat Orochimaru as a rogue nin. Hell, the idea of alerting the upper levels hadn't even crossed his mind. In not doing so, he could be accused of treason. A rogue nin was just that, and it mattered little to nothing if the Sannin had protected Konoha for years now.

All that hard work, for nothing.

It enraged him, if truth be told. Orochimaru's work had been one of a lifetime, and even if he still had the rights over the title of Legendary Sannin, he wasn't part of Konoha's shinobi forces anymore. Rogue nins were treated no better than political prisoners. Even if Sarutobi-sama decided to forgive him— and it was just so unlikely Kakashi snorted at the stupid idea— and welcome him to Konoha, he wouldn't be allowed to be a ninja.

But maybe in the dark-haired Sannin's case, it wouldn't be because he had gone rogue. Kakashi was intelligent enough to understand some people would do anything to get him out of the picture for good. It made him sick to his stomach as much as it left him wondering why the hell he was so keen on following the rules despite knowing how corrupted the system was.

His father. Right.

He wasn't a person who felt much— emotions were still completely useless in his book, and he had seen how much of a weakness they could be— and admittedly, he never considered himself to be a loyal person to the political entity that the Hokage represented. But his loyalty was unwavering when it came to his father, and the small amount of positive emotions he experienced each day had everything to do with Sakumo. That meant he believed in his father's ideals and he fought for the same reasons he did— if not for Sakumo himself. At some point, he had also been determined to fight for Orochimaru, but obviously things had changed quite drastically which meant Kakashi had to reevaluate certain things. And seeing he had just graduated, Kakashi had enough time to do just that. It didn't matter to him that the very next day he'd finally know about his team and sensei— Orochimaru was gone, so he no longer had interest in who would teach them from that day onwards.

A sigh left him. How _troublesome_.

He managed to avoid prying eyes quite easily and in no time he was stepping into the Hatake compound, toeing his sandals off before venturing further into the hallway. His father was nowhere to be seen, thank Rikkudo. Kakashi didn't want to explain his father why he had taken a detour on his way home. No longer hungry and growing quite restless, Kakashi walked directly into his room and began his search for whatever Orochimaru had hidden there three years prior to his graduation. At first he thought the Sannin was trying to get a good laugh at his expense because he'd undoubtedly turn everything on its head just to find «it». But then... why on earth would he ever do such a thing?

Orochimaru probably wanted something from him.

No. He wanted _**him**_.

A shiver ran down his spine at the reminder. Oh, Kami.

"I don't need this right now. I so don't need this right now," he whispered to himself, trying to fight the blush rising to his cheeks quite desperately while rummaging through the things he hadn't touched in a while, trying to find something— anything that stood out. He didn't have an eidetic memory by any means, but he was paranoid enough to know it his things had been touched.

And so he spent the next three hours opening old scrolls and books, flicking through the pages and revising old scraps of paper he had kept over the years. Every now and then he'd come across old notes regarding the development of a jutsu he'd been working on for months now, and even the odd note from Rin given during the most boring of lessons. They had made him smile more than usual, and if he had been older... he would've thought about asking her out on a date instead of caring so much about Orochimaru. And perhaps the thought would cross his mind eventually, but not now.

Kakashi grabbed the very last of his books and noticed there was a slight bump between the pages, making him frown in confusion. Curious, he opened it to reveal a folded piece of paper

"Huh?" He put the book back in the shelf and turned his attention to the white paper, noticing the kanji written on it.

 **Open**.

The handwriting wasn't his own— it was neat unlike the scribbled mess he left whenever he needed to write something down. Kakashi unfolded the paper and his eyebrow shot up, eyes scanning the white surface once more just to make sure he was seeing right.

 **2**.

It was clear who had written the note. But Kakashi had no idea what that was all about. His pride suffered quite a bit because of it, but it wasn't the time to dwell on that sort of things. The meaning behind the number was way more important.

Two? What the hell was that supposed to mean?

Kakashi stood up and stretched his limbs as much as possible, having sat down in the same position for too long. The paper was still trapped between his index and thumb while his mind struggled to find a proper answer. He refused to think that one number wasn't enough to solve the puzzle, because he had been called «the genius of an entire generation» too many times for him to be beaten by a piece of paper.

He had plenty of time to figure it out, though. Orochimaru never told him when he'd come back, and for all he knew, three more years could pass before they saw each other again.

Hopefully he'd be able to figure out what the hell he was supposed to do now and find «it» before that.

Unsurprisingly, the hole in his chest whenever he thought about Orochimaru was getting as bothersome as it was painful.

* * *

Sakumo stifled a yawn while letting his body rest on his favorite chair, stirring the miso soup before him quite lazily. He was still quite dizzy after drinking what could've been Kakashi's weight in sake, and knew perfectly well that he needed to eat something before even thinking about going to bed. His body wasn't the one of a twenty year-old anymore, and the struggles of a hangover were quite disastrous especially when being a father. It was half past three in the morning, so when Kakashi shuffled past the shōji door and straight to the refrigerator, Sakumo blinked in surprise and slurped the soup a bit too loudly to make his presence known.

"I saw you, tou-san." There was a pause. "Are you drunk?"

Kakashi turned to look at his father whose cheeks were a bit too flushed and his grip on the spoon was too sloppy. Sakumo looked up and tilted his head to the side.

"Maybe," he replied, it being a half truth. Drinking every once in a while wasn't a bad thing— but he decided not to comment on the fact that it had all started because of one of Dai's ridiculous challenges. "Do you want to talk about something, Pup? You never stay up until this late and you have your first team meeting tomorrow."

His son grabbed the carton of milk and took a light sip, dark gaze fixed on the pink label. They both knew Kakashi respected rules too much to show up late for his first meeting.

"I was just wondering if I'll be able to get along with my teammates. Not that I care too much about... who my sensei is." He shrugged and took another sip, not quite noticing the way Sakumo tensed. Orochimaru was definitely an open wound for the two Hatakes even after all those years. Unbeknownst to Kakashi, Sakumo dealt with his own demons every single day. "But teamwork is expected of us, right?" The only people Kakashi trusted other than Sakumo and the Sannin were Rin and Genma, but one was never lucky enough. Sakumo felt like if his friend had never left, he would've done everything in his power to make sure Kakashi had the perfect team.

But Minato was a good man, and Kakashi would learn to trust him like he had once trusted Orochimaru. And Minato would protect him in return, he would care for him.

Selflessly. Without ulterior motives.

The way a real sensei should act.

The guilt threatened to rise up his throat and force its way out of his mouth, but Sakumo figured it was the nausea that came with being tipsy.

"Teamwork is important, yes. We are expected to act like a real team, not just look like one. But no one is expecting you trust your teammates blindly or recklessly the first day you meet them. Trust is earned. Even with your sensei. You don't know who they are yet and you're already not giving them the credit we all deserve. Each team is the perfect combination in their own way. I have faith everything will go alright. Don't you?" Sakumo doubted whatever he said made any sense, but it was too late to take those words back and think of something else.

Kakashi looked at his father, relaxing against the coolness of the fridge. He didn't have faith in many things, or trust many people for that matter.

But he trusted his father.

"I do, tou-san." The gēnin hesitated before walking around the table to where his father was seated and wrapped one arm around his shoulders in a side hug, allowing himself about Orochimaru and the more in his room. "Thank you."

Sakumo offered a bright smile and finished the last of his soup, head resting gently atop Kakashi's. "It's my job, Pup."

Kakashi rolled his eyes.

"A «you're welcome» would've sufficed."

"I'm drunk, leave me be."

" _Tou-san_."

* * *

Orochimaru looked up from the blood vials in his hands, eyes rather itchy after staring at the same object for too long. He put the vials away and rubbed the bridge of his nose, unable to concentrate properly after being so close to Kakashi. If he closed his eyes he could almost feel the warmth beneath his fingertips, the all too familiar scent of cinnamon overwhelming him, and those smaller hands holding onto his shoulders for dear life.

Next time, he wouldn't be able to stop himself, he realized. If Sakumo ever found out, he'd kill Orochimaru before he ever got the chance of seeing him again.

The thought brought an amused smile to his lips, and not for the first time since defecting he realized how much he missed them. He had fought the memories of them for the longest time, trying to erase them from his memory. But that had only pushed him closer to the darkness and madness, and if there was something Orochimaru feared as much as he feared death, it was insanity. So now, ironically, he held onto every single memory like his life depended on it. And it did, in more ways than one.

He wouldn't be able to go further with his investigation and experiments if he did something as unproductive as going insane at a moment like this.

"Soon," he whispered to himself, words almost drowned by the darkness around him. "I'll see you soon."

* * *

Kakashi looked around to see if there was anyone approaching him, one of his eyebrows twitching in frustration. Whoever his teammates and sensei were, they still had ten more minutes to show up for their meeting. While he hadn't actually expected them to be fifteen minutes early like he always was, his teammates should've known better than laze around. Every single person in his year knew he took the rules very seriously— thus, the only logical thing would've been to show up at the same time he did to at least get acquainted with each other.

 _Honestly_.

His thought soon came to a stop when he heard movement behind him, but he didn't adopt an offensive stance. Kakashi only turned to look at a beaming Rin, and the shock must've been apparent because she then let out a soft giggle.

"I'm so happy to see we're in the same team!" Forgetting he wasn't used to public displays of affection, Rin wrapped both arms around his neck and pulled him into a bone crushing hug, making sure not to push him against one of the three wooden posts. Kakashi let out an undignified squeak and the sheer strength of the hug and awkwardly returned it before patting her on the back.

"Oi... Rin... can't breathe," he managed through gritted teeth and took a deep breath when Rin let go of him, both hands covering the lower half of her face to hide her blush. Kakashi rubbed the back of his head and fixed his mask (even if it still was perfectly in place) to hide the fact that he was blushing too. "I'm glad we're together in this, too. Seeing your face and not Gai's is truly a blessing."

"Kakashi! That's rude!" Rin chastised, but it was obvious she was fighting back a smile. Her friend only shrugged his shoulders and looked up at the sky. Yes, things were definitely going great so far. "I wonder who's out other teammate. I know it's not Ebisu, I saw him going to the Training Grounds 5 when I left my house."

"Maa... who knows. Asuma and Kurenai were walking to the Academy when I took a detour to get here. Hopefully it's not Obito," he said loudly to himself, not really caring Rin was friends with the Uchiha. "If Genma doesn't show up, I'll be seriously disappointed."

"Obito is not a bad ninja! You just need to give him a chance," she said rather hotly, not knowing whether she wanted Obito to be in the same team or not. As much as she liked to have him around, having to deal with their bickering was almost too much for her. But if she had to suffer in the end, their sensei might as well suffer along.

"I think you give him too many chances, Rin. Honestly, if you keep doing everything in his favor, he won't grow up." Kakashi rolled his eyes when he heard her slightly nervous laughter, but decided not to take it on her because after all, it wasn't her fault Obito was such an loser. Just as he was about to say something, they say a ninja appear right before them with a twirl of leaves. Kakashi blinked once to identify the new person, but he was fairly sure he had only seen him once or twice around the village.

Blond hair, bright blue eyes, tanned skin, and the friendliest smile he had ever seen in his life... whoever the man was, he was the antithesis of Orochimaru. And for some reason he couldn't understand, the notion was like a balm to his open wounds. He relaxed slightly.

"Well, hello." That smile widened if possible, and Rin looked like a tomato. The jōnin placed both hands on his hips and tilted his head to the side in such a charming way, Kakashi was sure he wasn't the only one who felt butterflies in his stomach— which was extremely weird, because it only ever happened when he used to be around—

"My name is Namikaze Minato and from this day on, I'll be part of Team 7 with you guys. It's a pleasure to meet you." Minato turned to look at Kakashi with an extreme fondness in his startlingly blue eyes, and Kakashi felt extremely self-conscious.

"You must be Kakashi! Of course you are, you look exactly like Sakumo-sensei." Kakashi and Rin looked at each other in surprise, earning a soft laugh from their now sensei. "He never told you? Sakumo-sensei used to be a gēnin team instructor— as a matter of fact, he was my jōnin instructor. I'm slightly offended he never talked about Team 8," he joked. Kakashi only then realized he knew very little about his dad prior to the Second Great Ninja War, and it made him feel so... weird, for some reason. "Anyway," Minato continued, unaware of what Kakashi was thinking, "this is supposed to be about Team 7. But... oh, we're missing one."

Kakashi sighed in frustration, already knowing who was the other Team 7 member. He tried not to let it get to him, and instead of making a comment, he shrugged and looked away as if he wasn't interested. Rin looked rather upset, but smiled when Minato asked her what was wrong.

"He must've come across an old lady who needed help," she tried to excuse Obito's lateness, wondering if he'd really take two hours to show up like he used to whenever they had to do something important. "There are many black cats around Konoha."

"Maybe he got lost in the path of life," Kakashi drawled, hardly amused, and raised an eyebrow when he heard Minato laugh again.

Perhaps things weren't as bad as he had previously thought, Kakashi mused with the tiniest smile grazing his lips. Perhaps he'd get along with them just fine and would get used to the whole teamwork thing. Perhaps—

"Rin, sensei, sorry for sh— WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE, BAKAKASHI?!"

Perhaps... perhaps _not_.

* * *

A/N: Aaaand here you go! As you can see, I'm taking a bit of a creative license to lightly alter some things and add headcanons whenever I feel like they'd work. I would've loved to see Sakumo with his own gēnin team!


End file.
